Sashless window clamping means



Aug. 25, 1959 MlGNEAULT ET AL' 2,900,679

SASHLESS WINDOW CLAMPING MEANS Filed June 26, 1958 ATTORNEY INVENTORSASHLESS WINDOW CLAMPING lVfEANS Romuald Migneault and Fernand W.Migneault, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada Application June 26,1958, Serial No.744,713'

4 Claims. (Cl. 20-52) This invention relates to sashless window clampingmeans.

Sashless window structures usually include two or more glass panelsslidably mounted in a frame. sufficient clearance must be providedbetween two adjacent panels to permit ready sliding movement thereof.Such clearance frequently results in a space between the panels forundesirable inlet of drafts, moisture and the like. Moreover, it isdifficult to lock the panels together, especially in partly openposition and, therefore, in many structures heretofore proposed, nomeans is provided for such locking procedure.

An object of the present invention is to provide associated means formaintaining the glass panels of a sashless window in closely fittingrelationship while permitting relative movement thereof and for lockingsudh panels together in any desired relative position.

The invention resides in the pro-vision, in combination with a sashlesswindow structure having a frame and a pair of glass panels slidablymounted therein, of a roller resiliently mounted in the head piece ofsaid frame and having its periphery riding upon one of said panels toapply pressure thereon adjacent the top edge thereof, and a clampinglever mounted on the sill of said frame and having a surface engageablewith said one panel to apply pressure thereon adjacent the bottom edgethereof.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a window structure in accordance withthe invention,

Figure 2 is an elevation, partly broken away, of one side of a pressureapplying device,

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the device shown in Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an elevation of the other side of the device shown in Figure2,

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a clamping device in accordance with theinvention,

Figure 6 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 5, and

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the device shown in Figure 2 in panelengaging position.

In the drawing, the window assembly illustrated cornprises a wood frame1 having sill 2, jambs 3 and 4, and head piece 5. One or more pairs ofglass panels 6 and 7 are mounted in the frame. The sill 2 has a grooveor channel 8 for reception of the lower edge portions of panels 6 and 7and the head piece 5 also has a groove 9 for reception of the upper edgeportions of the panels. Jambs 3 and 4 also have the usual grooves 10 forreception of the side edge portions of the panels.

It will be apparent that, in the normally closed position of panels 6and 7, as shown in Figure 1, their meeting edge portions will overlap.It will also be apparent that, as in conventional structures of thistype, panel 6 is slidable relatively to panel 7 to open or close thewindow to a desired degree subject to the width of panel 6. Sufficientclearance must be provided between the over- 2 lapping portions of thepanels to permit ease of sliding movement of panel 6. It issubstantially essential that, in closed position, the panels be lockedagainst relative movement and that there be substantially no clearancetherebetween for inlet of drafts, dust, moisture and the like. Moreover,it is highly desirable that in any partially opened position of panel 6,the same conditions apply in respect of the overlapping portions of thepanels.

Means are therefore provided for maintaining the upper overlappingportions of the panels in close-fitting engagement at all times withoutinterference with normal sliding movement of panel 6. To this end, apressure applying device 11 is provided and comprises ametal or plastichousing having,v as shown, a circular rear wall 12, a circular forwardwall 13, and van intermediate.

- annular side wall 14. Preferably, wall 13 isremovably mounted-topermit access to the interior of the housing. A roller 16 is rotatablyas by means of bolts 15. mounted in a U-shaped bracket 17 by means of aspindle 18. Bracket 17 is supported in the housing by means of a rod 19fixed to the bracket and extending sl-idably into a sleeve 20 having ascrew threaded mounting with an inwardly recessed portion 21 of wall 14.A spring 22 on rod 19 has one end bearing on sleeve 20 and its endbearing on the bracket to resiliently urge the bracket and roller'in anoutward direction. The roller 16 projects through an opening 23 in wall14 which is located diametrically opposite the recessed portion 21. Oneend of the roller spindle 18 extends into a slot 24 in rear wall 12 ofthe housing to guide and support the roller and bracket during anyreciprocal movement thereof. The device 11 is mounted in a recess 25 inthe face of head piece 5 with roller 16 projecting into groove 9 and inresilient engagement with panel 6. Preferably, roller 16 engages panel 6in adjacent but slightly spaced relation to the adjoining edge of panel7, as clearly shown in Figure 7. The axis of roller 16 is parallel tothe surface of panel 6.

Roller 16 is preferably formed of a plastic composition such aspolyethylene, polystyrene, polyamide, hard rubher or other similarplastic.

The resilient pressure applied by roller 16 may be adjusted by adjustingthe position of sleeve 20 relatively to the housing.

A clamping device 26 is mounted on sill 2 in generally opposed relationto pressure applying device 11 for cooperation therewith. Device 26comprises a U-shaped metal bracket 27 adjustably fixed to sill 2 as 'byscrews 28 which extend through slots 29 in the mounting flanges 30 ofthe bracket. A lever '31 is pivotally mounted by means of pin 32 betweenopposed walls 33 of the bracket. Lever 31 has a U-shaped cross sectionto provide opposed walls 34 between which is rotatably mounted a roller35 as by means of a spindle 36 closely adjacent the inner end of thelever which projects inwardly beyond the walls 33 of the bracket. Roller35 also projects inwardly beyond the end of lever 31,

The outer end of lever 31 is provided with ya handle portion 31a whichis somewhat iangularly disposed or offset with respect to the remainingportion of the lever. It will be observed that the axis of roller 35 andthe pivotal axis of lever 31 are parallel to the face of glass panel 6and to the lower edge thereof and that, in the upper or lower positionsof the inner end of lever 31, the roller 35 will be free of engagementwith panel 6 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. However, in theintermediate position of the lever, as shown in full lines, the rollerwill engage panel 6 and apply pressure thereon.

Roller 35 is preferably formed of a material such as rubber which willbe slightly yieldable with respect to the glass surface and which willimpose a frictional 3 resistance to movement of the glass panel when theroller is pressed against the same. Thus the roller 35, in conjunctionwith the roller 16, will act not only to clamp the panels together,which clamping eflfect will tend to prevent relative movement of thepanels, but will also act to resist such movement by reason of its ownfrictional contact with panel 6. As a result, a substantially positivelocking action is imposed upon the panels in any desired positionthereof.

We claim:

1. In a sashless window having a sill, head piece, and jambsconstituting a frame, and a pair of glass panels slidably mountedtherein, clamping means for said panels comprising a roller rotatablymounted in said head piece about an axis parallel to the surface of oneof said panels, a spring resiliently urging said roller into pressurecontact with said one panel, and a lever pivotally mounted on said silland having a roller rotatably carried thereby, said second roller havingan axis parallel to the adjacent edge of said one panel and beingmovable into and out of frictional contact with said one panel inresponse to actuation of said lever.

2. A sashless window clamping means as defined in claim 1, including ahousing for said first roller, a bracket carrying said first roller, arod fixed to said bracket slidably mounted in said housing, said springbeing mounted on said rod, and a sleeve adjustably mounted on said rodfor varying the tension of said spring.

3. A sashless window clamping means as defined in claim 1, said firstroller being formed of a plastic composition and said second rollerbeing formed of rubber.

4. In a sashless window having a sill, head piece, and jambsconstituting a frame, and a pair of glass panels slidably mountedtherein, clamping means for said panels comprising a roller rotatablymounted in said head piece about an axis parallel to the surface of oneof said panels, a spring resiliently urging said roller into pressurecontact with said one panel, and a lever pivotally mounted on said silland having a surface thereon engageable with said one panel and beingmovable into and out of frictional contact with said one panel inresponse to actua- 20 tion of said lever.

No references cited,

